Day and Night
by DLotus
Summary: Darkness is rising, the Witch-king have founded the kingdom of Angmar. Nazgûls have raided the forest of Greenwood, now they have turned their shadows to the kingdoms of Anor. Legolas travels to Imladris and give what knowledge he holds in the fight against the Witch-king.


**Day and Night**

Thranduil: King of the Woodland Realm

Anariel: Queen of the Woodland Realm (deceased)

Legolas: Oldest son of King Thranduil, heir to the throne, and captain of the first/elite team and commander of the army (born TA 87)

Lucien: Son of King Thranduil, warrior in the fourth team (born TA 201)

Gilmarkar: Youngest son of King Thranduil (born TA 263)

Rozarko: Legolas' first personal guard and minder

Girion: Legolas' second personal guard

The elite team of Legolas: Anglond (second in command), Mirthral, Rogon, Logon, Tristan, Falael, Cyan, Kaleth, Galdor, Gilthron (third in command), Sharian (deceased), Jassin, Imizael, Halafarin, Fenian.

**Chapter: To Rivendell **

_**Third age 1409**_**: **

_´Darkness is stirring in the north, dark shadows have been seen lurking in the twilight. The Nazgûl have reappeared – the witch-king of Angmar is invading Anor`._

Legolas read the message over and over, he did not even have to look at the seal to know who it was from, he recognized the writing. The message was from Glorfindel, he had written a lot with the golden lord the past decades, ever since the witch-king returned to Angmar. Legolas had had a close eye to the old fortress of Gundabad, and Glorfindel had had a close eye from the other side of the mountains. They had both done all in their power to keep orcs and other foul things from entering the old fortress, but even though, the witch-king had ensured a great number under him.

He breathed deeply, Glorfindel was asking for help. It was rare that Imladris was asking Greenwood for help, very rare. He wondered why Glorfindel asked him for help, Legolas had only encountered the Nazgûl a few times before, and that was many years ago, around the time the witch-king founded Angmar a hundred years ago.

Girion in the chair before the desk, looking a bit worried at his prince.

"What does the message say?" he asked carefully, not sure if he was allowed to ask.

Legolas looked up at him, he seemed troubled, without a word, he handed the message to Girion, who quickly read it as Legolas slowly rose and walked around his desk.

"You better talk to the king about this" Girion said seriously as he handed the paper back.

Legolas nodded, "I will immediately".

For once, his father had taken the afternoon off, and was not in his office, but down in the private garden. The sun was shining from a blue, cloudless sky, and the trees stood green and full of life. In the shade of a tree he found his father sitting on the ground, his back rested against the big trunk and a thick book in his hands. Next to him on a small blanket was a glass of cold lemonade and some fruit. Suddenly he looked so young, his father, even though he wasn't by elven standard. Still, he wasn't old either. He had discarded his finer robes, and now sat in a white shirt with silver embroideries, and gray leggings, his feet were bare. Legolas rarely saw him like this and smiled softly as he walked towards his father reading, and slowly sat down next to him. Thranduil finished the page before he closed the book and placed it in his lap, he turned his head and looked at his son.

"What is it?" he asked seriously when he saw the expression of his son, it was troubled and worried.

Legolas handed his father the message, "it came from Glorfindel" Legolas told.

Thranduil's brows furrowed as he took the message and read it quickly.

"Anor" he whispered as he handed the message back, "and he ask you for assistance?".

"Yes" Legolas confirmed, looking down.

"Are you asking for my permission to go?" Thranduil asked gently.

Legolas looked up, "I guess I am" he said slowly, "though, I am not sure of how my team and I will be to any help".

Thranduil placed a soft hand on his arm, "you have encountered the Nazgûl before" he told gravely, "maybe Glorfindel can use you experience, you will be able to put both of your experiences together".

Legolas nodded "that makes sense".

"So, you will go?" Thranduil asked softly, a part of him felt proud that his son was helping Glorfindel, and that the lord himself had asked for his help, another part of him was worried to the core at thought of his son against the Nazgûl.

"If you can spare me and my team?" Legolas said, "I do not know for how long we will be away".

"Go" Thranduil told and gave his arm a little squeeze.

o0o

_A dark shadow creeped around the trees, a black hood was drawn over its head, hiding its features. It walked towards him, he was bound to a tree, with no chance of escape. His heartbeat was escalating, and he pressed himself back into the rough trunk of the tree. Orcs around him sneered and backed away for the shadow. It drew a long, slender sword, and with a high-pitched shriek, that hurt in his ears and chilled him to the bones, it drew the sword down into his thigh. _

Legolas bolted into a sitting position, cold sweat was running down his face, and his breath came in small gasp. He still thought he could hear the shriek of the Nazgûl inside his head. A cold, burning pain spread out across his left thigh and he threw the cover away. There was nothing there, only the old scar that still had not healed, and properly never would.

Hands grabbed him from behind, and he was pressed back into a strong chest. The familiar and safe smell of his minder came into his muddle mind. Rozarko held him tightly against his chest and whispered shooting words into his ear. Soon Legolas calmed down and the icy cold, burning pain in his thigh receded, he breathed relieved and turned his head a little.

"Thank you" he whispered a bit hoarsely.

Rozarko just smiled and placed a soft kiss on the top of his head.

"Nightmare?" Rozarko asked softly.

Legolas nodded, "about the first" he told with bare a whisper.

Rozarko nodded, he knew quite well to what Legolas was referring. The first encounter had almost cost the prince his life. He had at first been captured by the orcs, along with Anglond, but only Legolas had been wounded by the Nazgûl and it's Morgul blade. The cold darkness had quickly spread out in the prince's already weakened body, and by the time the two of them was rescued, Legolas was far gone, and barely conscious anymore. Both Legolas and Anglond was plagued with nightmares of that time, Anglond had been bound right next to Legolas, and could only watch at his captain was pierced by the poisoned blade, and became more and more sick. He got deadly pale, and his veins became a dark blue, almost black color as the darkness spread into his body.

Thranduil had given a lot of his lifeforce to Legolas when he was rescued, and every time the king had regenerated, he gave another dose to his ailing heir.

It was still dark outside, and Rozarko moved down into the bed, still with Legolas in his arms. Legolas turned and snuggled into the warm and safe arms of Rozarko. The older elf smiled softly and combed his fingers through the silky soft hair, sighing content as he felt his charge relax in his arms. Legolas had almost pressed his face into the bare chest of his guard and minder, but right now he seemed like he could not get close enough. This was where he felt safest, not even his own father could make him feel just as safe as he did in these arms. Rozarko chuckled as Legolas seemed to snuggle even closer.

"Can you get close enough?" he chuckled as he ran a hand over the prince's back.

Legolas shook his head, "no" he heard him say muffled.

Rozarko smiled fondly and repositioned himself, drew one leg over Legolas until they were tangled completely together. He held his charge close until he slowly drifted back to sleep, though it was not as peaceful as he would have hoped, and Rozarko kept half an eye on his prince for the rest of the night.

As the morning light began to flow into the bedroom, Legolas stirred and suddenly bolted up again. Rozarko was quickly after him, but this time though, the prince did not seem to have had the same nightmare. He placed a soft hand on his shoulder.

"What is it?" he asked gently.

Legolas turned and looked at Rozarko, then he let go of a breath he didn't realized he had been holding.

"Nothing" he breathed with a small shake of his head, "just thought I heard them again".

Rozarko nodded, "good thing they cannot cross the borders to Imladris" he said with a small smile.

Legolas visible seemed to relax more, he nodded as he slowly got out of bed.

o0o

Glorfindel sat in the chair on his balcony, he still waited for Legolas to show up. The prince and his team had arrived late last night, and therefore he waited in patience. He hoped he could get some information out of the prince, he had, after all, encountered these Nazgûl more times, and at closer hand, than himself. He had seen them a few times over the last years, when they had retreated from the east side of the mountains, where the woodelves had given them a fight to remember.

A soft knock on the door brought the old elf out of his musing, he called for enter and watched as the young prince entered. Legolas gave him a small smile as he made his way across the room and out to the balcony. Glorfindel noticed that the smile did not reach his eyes, and it seemed forced at some point. The younger elf sat down across Glorfindel, and the older elf poured him a glass of cold juice.

"So, you want to pick my brain about the Nazgûls" Legolas stated as he leaned back in the chair, not touching the food or drinks on the table.

Glorfindel breathed deeply, "going right for it, are we?" he said as he too leaned back.

Legolas titled his head just a little, looking intently at the lord before him. Glorfindel was once more reminded of just how much the prince looked like and resembled his father.

"I know you and your people have no business with the men of Anor" Glorfindel said, "I know that men in general have done little to nothing good for you at all" he added with a grave shake of his head, he looked up again and met the icy blue eyes in front of him, "but nevertheless, I would ask for your help".

"How?" Legolas asked a bit cold.

"You have fought the creatures up close" Glorfindel told, "you have even been touched by one".

With that remark, Legolas visible flinched, though he quickly regained his composure.

"You might know more of how to fight them than we do" Glorfindel then said.

Legolas looked at him for a long time, and just as Glorfindel thought he would not say anything, Legolas spoke: "My team and I have fought the Nazgûl many times" Legolas breathed deeply, it was not a subject he gladly talked about, and Glorfindel sensed that and waited patiently for the prince to continue, "we lost Sharian to one of the black shadows" Legolas told gravely.

"I did not know" Glorfindel breathed, "I'm so sorry".

"It was many years ago" Legolas sighed, "but…" he once more turned his eyes to Glorfindel, "you want to know if they have any weaknesses?".

Glorfindel nodded.

Legolas looked back out over the valley, "daylight, as you might have discovered" Legolas told softly, "haven't you fought them at all?" he suddenly turned back to the lord.

"We have" Glorfindel told, "but not as much or as closely as you".

Legolas just nodded, "they seemed weaker, even afraid of the daylight" Legolas told, "and fire, they are afraid of fire".

Glorfindel nodded as he listened.

"Otherwise I suggest you stay as far away from them as possible" Legolas told bitterly, "they are strong, fearless in the darkness of the night. And their black breath is toxic for those who are unlucky to come to near. It is a chilling, burning pain you will never get rid of" Legolas breathed deeply before he continued, "in the night they can senses you even though they might not even see you, they can smell the blood of all living thing. Their cries are like a storm chilling you from the inside, ripping your ears off, you cannot hide from them, they know where you are… they can always sense you…".

"How did you survive?" Glorfindel asked, "the encounter with the Nazgûl".

Legolas looked back at him, "my father" he told, "I would not have survived if not he had sacrificed a great amount of his lifeforce to me".

"I am not sure I quite understand your lifeforces" Glorfindel told.

"It is what it is" Legolas told, "our lifeforce, our inner strength, which we have learned to control, and use to heal, or even use as a weapon".

"A weapon?" Glorfindel asked stunned.

"How do you think we escaped from the arena all those years ago" Legolas told gently.

Glorfindel nodded, "that is how the arena was destroyed" he suddenly understood, "but you do not use it often, do you?".

"No" Legolas told, "it takes a lot of my strength every time I use it, and I need to gather more from every time. The trees can sometimes help me, and give me some of their strength. I grow weaker from every time I use it, so I do not use it unless it is absolutely necessary"

"I understand" Glorfindel nodded, "and Thranduil used his lifeforce to heal you?".

"Yes" Legolas told, "I was so far gone when they rescued me and Anglond that it was almost too late. I have little memory of what happened back then, but I was told that I was ice cold and deadly pale, barely breathing anymore".

"What do you remember?" Glorfindel asked gently, he knew it was a sensible subject for the prince.

"Coldness and burning pain" Legolas told, "I was stabbed with a Morgul blade".

That made Glorfindel pale, "what?" he breathed, "I was not aware".

"Why do you think I was on the brink of the shadow world?" Legolas asked a bit surprised.

"Because of the black breath" Glorfindel asked.

"Anglond suffered from the black breath" Legolas told, "I was stabbed. The black breath sneaked into its victim and paralyzes it with fear, coldness and pain. Anglond suffered greatly by it, and still does. It hunts your dreams".

Glorfindel nodded gravely, "and you?" he asked.

"I have nightmares" Legolas told while looking down, "quite often, and I can still feel the cold blade piercing my thigh".

"Can you hurt them?" Glorfindel then asked, "the Nazgûl?".

Legolas shrugged, "we have not been able to, only to harm them a little with fire, and they always regrouped and came back".

"What about your lifeforce?" Glorfindel sat up a bit straighter, "can you use that against them?".

Legolas face fell, "I have not been able to use it, not since…".

Glorfindel looked stunned, "I am sorry, Legolas".

Legolas shook his head and took a strawberry from the plate on the table, "now" he said as he sat back and looked a little more relaxed, "I think it is about time you tell me why we are going to Anor".

"The witch-king have attacked and destroyed both the kingdom of Rhudaur and Arthedain" Glorfindel told, "as you might know" he added, "the last one standing is Cardolan, the last shield of the north against the darkness".

"And you think we should strengthen that shield?" Legolas asked.

"Yes" Glorfindel asked, "I know it is far from you home, Legolas, and you have your hands full already, but we could use your help and knowledge".

Legolas breathed deeply, then he nodded, "I will be in close communicating with my captains at home" Legolas told, "and if they need me back, I am bound to the duties of my people, and I am going home" he held Glorfindel's gaze strongly, and Glorfindel had no doubt just how serious Legolas was right now.

"We will take any help you can offer" Glorfindel smiled and bowed his head.

Legolas settled back in the chair and looked out over the valley, it seemed they would spent quite a long time here after all.


End file.
